PCMC to Review Bid to Outsource Bhosari Hospital

Following strong opposition from social workers, political parties and citizens’ organisations over the decision to outsource the newly developed Bhosari Hospital, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) commissioner has decided to review the decision. The proposal to outsource the facility that was recently approved in the general body meeting of the corporation will be reviewed by PCMC chief Shravan Hardikar and the final approval will be given only if it is beneficial to the society. It was the demand of everyone who opposed the decision that the facility should be run by the local body itself. Once Bhosari Hospital gets functional, it will ease the pressure on the overburdened YCM Hospital, Pimpri. The local body had decided to outsource the facility claiming lack of experts and anticipated loss in running the facility. This was passed in the general body meeting without any discussion. This was strongly opposed by almost all political parties and social activists who claimed that the aim of the local body is not earning profit but to provide facilities to the residents under their jurisdiction.

Applications against the decision were written to the chief minister, health minister and several officials and even protests took place. Finally, the PCMC commissioner decided to look into the issue again. The PCMC has recently completed the work of the100-bed hospital in Bhosari. Work on the four-storey building has been completed and it is waiting to get functional, a step likely to benefit lakhs of families living in the PCMC municipal limits and surrounding areas. “It is not exactly a review but we are going to do the cost analysis before giving it up for outsourcing. It has been given approval by the general body but I have to approve it, as it needs a joint approval,” said PCMC chief Shravan Hardikar.

“If there are changes needed so definitely it will be made before giving approvals. If everything is fine it will be approved and only after this the tenders will be floated,” he added. Advocate Sachin Godambe said, “A nexus is at work in taking the decision to outsource the facility and eventually the poor people will suffer due to this. There is a need to increase the transparency in the functioning of YCM Hospital. The facilities at this hospital will help the poor people at large and the PCMC should run the hospital. I do not think this will be a problem for the civic body as every year they are earning crores of revenue from the citizens.” – Pune Mirror